Shortcut to Paradise -- Moist Your Tongue With The Remembrance of Allah (Dhikr)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

Sometimes there are just too many things going on in our lives at once that could easily make us feel unrest. Some people try to numb it with entertainment, alcohol or other things that may distract themselves from that feeling, but again it returns.

Here's the true remedy -- Let not your tongue cease to be moist with the remembrance of Allah (dhikr).

Allah Almighty says,

لَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّـهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّـهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ ﴿٢٨

Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured." (28)

[Qur’an, Al-R'ad 13:28]

There are many Qur'an verses and traditions of the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, that show us the extreme importance of dhikr in our lives.

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱللَّـهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيرًا ﴿٤١﴾ وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا ﴿٤٢

O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance (41) And exalt Him morning and afternoon. (42)

[Qur'an, Al-Ahzab 33:41-42]

A bedouin man came to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, who felt that the rules had become too much for him. He felt a burden on his shoulders, unsure if he was to be able to fulfill his roles and obligations to his Lord. He came with a concern to the Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, and asked: “O Messenger of Allah, the laws of Islam have become many for us, so give us a means of access which is comprehensive to which we can cling.” The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant peace, responded? “لا يزال لسانك رطبا بذكر الله -- Let not your tongue cease to be moist with the remembrance of Allah, The Glorious, The Magnificent."

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, also said: “The example of the one who remembers his Lord in comparison with the one who does not remember his Lord is that of the living and the dead.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

So don't let your time pass with no remembrance of Allah. When we have dhikr always on our tongues, we have this constant connection with our Creator, even as we go about our daily routines. When things are going well, or when things are hard, we have this lifeline to Allah, this constant stream of praise going up, and blessings coming down. Our spirits are lighter, our hearts happier. We are grateful for everything we have, because we remember that every single little blessing – good health, the comfortable beds we sleep in, the orange juice we had for breakfast, even our beating hearts and the breath in our lungs – comes from Allah.

Dhikr is of many types and it is a guide to excellent character, and a light that keeps us on the path to Paradise. It is light on the tongue but heavy on the Scale in the Day of Judgment.

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, tells us about the regrets of the people of Paradise. He says “The People of Paradise will not regret except one thing alone: the hour that passed them by and in which they made no remembrance of Allah.”

So what are we waiting for? Aren't we not still alive?

May Allah enable us to remember Him with much remembrance throughout our lives and grant us the highest Paradise, Jannatul Firdaus. Ameen.

Please don't forget us in your night prayers. Jazakallahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.